Reviews

I've read this book and I have loved it!The first thing that strikes you about this book is the fact that footballers can write, and some of them can do so very well. The author here, Ian Seddon, also used to tread the same turf as Tommy Banks on the Burnden Park theatre in the early seventies, as well as playing under 'Big Ron' Atkinson at Cambridge United in the latter part of that decade. So already that qualifies him as a genuine writer, someone who know's his stuff. The 'traditional' autobiography uses journalists as ghost writers, and at best, these are the screamers. That is to say, the one's complaining at the television screen and the ridiculous foul that has been committed that to be fair, they only knew about because of the slo-mo replay! Seddon has walked the same path as Banks, and is therefore justified to retell his story.This boy from Farnworth did good. From the turf of the farmyard to the Burnden Park turf, taking in Wembley and the 1958 World Cup Finals. And if that never gave him nationwide recognition, his modelling career soon would. But every step, every path he strode down, he remained pinned to his northern roots, his family- instilled values. Values that spilled into the professional world of football and its 'lump of coal' wages, and his 'Brother' Matthews speech that sits comfortably in many a old professional's memory. Nonemoreso because it could have single-handedly abolished the Maximum Wage in 1961. And what he did with his 1958 FA Cup Final winning shirt will make you gasp with astonishment.You can list the accomplishments of many a magnificient footballer, but I swear to you....not one of them, except Tommy Banks, will have a musical production in their honour.Seddon's subtitles throughout this book bring the tales to life. Tommy always has an input, we just need to know what he's saying. And increasingly, the astuteness, the cleverness of Banks' shines through in this terrific book of a genuine footballer that was good enough, and proud enough, to wear the shirt of England.Well done Tommy, my new best friend, and well done Ian.Chris Goodwin, reviewed on England Football Online